US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT1166

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001166 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO IO COLLECTIVE 
STATE ALSO PASS USAID/W 
STATE FOR PRM/ANE, EUR/SE, NEA/NGA, IO AND SA/PAB 
NSC FOR EABRAMS, SMCCORMICK, STAHIR-KHELI, JDWORKEN 
USAID FOR USAID/A, DCHA/AA, DCHA/RMT, DCHA/FFP 
USAID FOR DCHA/OTI, DCHA/DG, ANE/AA 
USAID FOR USAID/AA:NATSIOS 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA:WGARVELINK, BMCCONNELL, KFARNSWORTH 
USAID FOR ANE/AA:WCHAMBERLIN 
ROME FOR FODAG 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH 
DOHA FOR MSHIRLEY 
ANKARA FOR AMB WRPEARSON, ECON AJSIROTIC AND DART 
AMMAN FOR USAID AND DART 
 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PHUM, PREF, MOPS, PREL, IZ 
SUBJECT:  TFIZ01: DART ABUSE PREVENTION UNIT 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  The DART Abuse Prevention Unit has been activated to 
identify, monitor, prevent, and respond to human rights 
abuses and protection issues in Iraq.  Since arriving in 
Kuwait, the APU has briefed military units, NGOs, ORHA, and 
the USAID Reconstruction Team on the importance of reporting 
on reprisals and human rights abuses and the central role of 
the APU in that process.  The APU is coordinating its work 
closely with State (PRM/DRL), NSC, and DOD.  End Summary. 
 
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APU BRIEFINGS 
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2.  On 25 March, in coordination with several non- 
governmental organizations (NGOs), the DART Abuse Prevention 
Unit (APU) completed an official Request For Information 
(RFI) with the Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) that 
would formally ask forward Coalition units to begin 
reporting on human rights issues.  The APU is working with 
the Military Liaison Unit (MLU) to develop additional 
instructions for military personnel to identify and better 
characterize human rights violations using the Rapid 
Assessment Form. 
 
3.  During a meeting with Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) 
on 25 March, the APU received a sample of "Survey Questions 
for Determining Human Rights Abuses".  The APU will use 
these as a basis for its own assessments.  PHR also raised 
the possibility of establishing joint NGO / DART teams to 
monitor human rights abuses. 
 
4.  The APU has distributed 200 `Field Guides to Preventing, 
Mitigating, and Responding to Human Rights Abuses" to 
Coalition forces and NGOs, including Interaction, PHR, the 
International Organization for Migration, and others.  An 
additional 800 Field Guides are scheduled to arrive by the 
end of the week and will be rapidly distributed.  Many 
Coalition units and NGOs have asked the DART for additional 
copies of the Field Guide, and the APU is considering 
ordering an additional 2,000. 
 
5.  On 26 March, the APU met with senior staff at ORHA to 
discuss plans for preventing, deterring, and responding to 
human rights abuses.  ORHA expressed strong support for 
APU's program and offered assistance, including ensuring 
that the APU will have maximum access in country and 
offering to recruit additional Abuse Prevention Officers 
(APOs) if necessary.  The APU is following up with ORHA to 
identify potential Coalition force components that could be 
used to assist responding to and deterring abuses. 
 
6.  On 27 March, an APO was part of the DART assessment of 
Umm Qasr. General unrest after fighting was dominated by 
looting of government and property of regime supporters. 
Coalition forces there report that there may have been some 
"lynching" but do not know of any specific incidents to 
corroborate the statement.  Doctors at the hospital gave no 
information about treating victims of violence other than 
war wounded. 
 
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Conclusion 
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7.  The DART APU will continue to gather information that is 
crucial to the monitoring and prevention of human rights 
abuses.  Once the DART moves into the field, the APU will 
include regular reporting on human rights issues that impact 
political and military stability.  The APU will continue to 
coordinate its response with other USG agencies operating in 
the field. 
 
JONES